Diverting arrangements for example in conveying devices

ABSTRACT

An article diverting arrangement in conveying devices by means of which an article can be delivered from the arrangement in a chosen direction. The arrangement basically comprises a largediameter spherical member projecting above the conveyor surface and being rotatable about a horizontal axis by means of drive members which are selectively operable to cause the spherical member to revolve about its horizontal axis. The drive members can be selectively operated whereby the horizontal axis of the spherical member can be rotated by a predetermined amount around the vertical axis of the spherical member in order to determine the direction of delivery.

United States Patent 1 Geller DIVERTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXAMPLE IN CONVEYING DEVICES [75] Inventor: Stephen Geller, Headcorn, England [73] Assignee: Sovex Limited, Erith England [22] Filed: May 24, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 363,779

[ June 10, 1975 12/1966 Stevens 51/289 6/1973 Morrissey 15/21 A [57] ABSTRACT An article diverting arrangement in conveying devices by means of which an article can be delivered from the arrangement in a chosen direction. The arrangement basically comprises a large-diameter spherical member projecting above the conveyor surface and being rotatable about a horizontal axis by means of drive members which are selectively operable to cause the spherical member to revolve about its horizontal axis. The drive members can be selectively operated whereby the horizontal axis of the spherical member can be rotated by a predetermined amount around the vertical axis of the spherical member in order to determine the direction of delivery.

11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DIVERTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXAMPLE IN CONVEYING DEVICES This invention relates to diverting arrangements in, for example, conveying devices, and is particularly concerned with an arrangement for enabling a load supplied to the arrangement from one direction, for example by a conveyor, to be delivered from the diverter in another direction, for example to another conveyor extending at an angle to the first conveyor without any change in orientation.

Such arrangements are known and one such arrangement consists of a flat surface above which project a number of load bearing wheels or rollers which receive a load arriving from one direction. To discharge the load the wheels or rollers are driven by suitable means and the direction of discharge is determined by rotating the wheels or rollers about vertical axes. Such rotation may have a tendency to damage or disturb the undersurface of the load or article being conveyed which is particularly undesirable for example when handling bundles of newspapers or the like.

The present invention is concerned with overcoming this difficulty and with a way of enabling a greater choice of discharge direction.

According to the invention. there is provided an article diverting arrangement comprising a spherical member projecting partially above the surface of a horizontal plane, the spherical member being supported freely for rotation about a horizontal axis and being driven for rotation by at least one rotatable member which is operable to cause the spherical member to rotate about said horizontal axis.

In a further feature of the invention the spherical member is provided with two sets of said rotatable members which consist of rollers which are selectively pressed against the spherical member and the drive means causes at least one roller of each set to rotate and drive the spherical roller about a horizontal axis, the axes of the rollers of each set also being horizontal and arranged on opposite sides of the spherical member at right angles to the other set.

Preferably. in a further aspect of the invention, four rotatable members are provided on horizontal axes at right angles to each other, all in contact with the spherical member and being selectively driven or idle to cause the spherical member to rotate in the desired sense.

In another aspect of the invention the rollers may be continuously driven and are selectively pressed against the spherical member to generate the desired rotation.

The spherical member is supported on a mounting which allows it to revolve in any sense and is for example another sphere, such as the ball of a ball-caster assembly.

The spherical member may be supported in a recirculating ball system and in one embodiment of the invention rotation of the spherical member may be produced by driving the recirculating balls in the appropriate direction.

In one embodiment of the invention, now to be described by way of example and with reference the accompanying drawings, the diverter arrangement forms part of a distributing system fed for example by a conveyor.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the arrangement,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation on the line AA of FIG. 1. and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation on the line 3-8 of FIG. 2.

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, the article diverter arrangement comprises of a spherical member 1 which rests on a spherical bearing member 2 disposed immediately below the member 1 and the spherical member 1 projects above the top face of a horizontal plate 3 through an aperture 4 which as shown has a partspherical profile in close proximity to the surface of the spherical member 1. If desired the aperture 4 may have an anti-friction coating or lining for example of polytetrafluoroethylene.

The spherical member 1 is freely supported on the bearing 2 and is guided laterally by four horizontal rollers which bear against it just above the equator of the member 1. The four rollers are arranged angularly around the spherical member 1 at to each other and the rollers 5 and 6 form one set of rollers diametrically opposite each other while rollers 7 and 8 form a second set at 90 to rollers 5 and 6. Each roller is mounted on a shaft 9, 10 11 and 12 respectively and the shafts 9 and 11 each have a sprocket or pulley 13 fast therewith. The rollers 6 and 8 are carried loosely on their shafts l0 and I2 and each shaft is carried in a bracket 14 pivoted about a lower horizontal shaft 15 below the re spective shaft. The shafts 15 associated with the brackets carrying the rollers 5 and 7 are provided with freerunning double sprockets or pulleys 16, such sprockets or pulleys being fitted to each shaft as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The double sprocket or pulley 16 on each shaft 15 is connected to the sprocket or pulley 13 above it by a chain or belt 17 and is also coupled by a chain or belt 18 to a drive means (not shown) by which the rollers 5 and 7 are caused to rotate about their horizontal axes 9 and 11. The rollers 6 and 8 are not provided with any driving connections in this embodiment and the opposing pairs of rollers 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 are drawn towards each other by tensioning means 19 and 20 respectively so that all four rollers are in positive contact with the surface of the spherical member 1. The tensioning means 19 and 20 may be tension spring units applying a constant force or they may be electro-mechanical or fluid-operated units which can be selectively operated to control the pressure of each roller against the spherical member 1.

In the present example it will first be assumed that the load L shown in FIG. 2 is to be diverted from a supply conveyor (not shown) towards the right-hand side of FIG. 2. For this purpose, spherical member 1 will have to rotate clockwise as seen in this Figure and so roller 5 will be driven in an anticlockwise direction which causes spherical member 1 to rotate and propel the load L in the required direction. Discharge of the load to the left of FIG. 2 simply requires the directions of rotation of sphere 1 and roller 5 to be reversed and it will be evident that by driving roller 7 in a similar manner delivery of the load L at right angles to the directions controlled by roller 5 is equally possible. Rollers 6 and 8 are always idle and serve as guide rollers counteracting the side loads imposed by their opposite rollers 5 and 7 when they are driving. If only one such roller is causing sphere 1 to rotate, all the other rollers will rotate idly. The effect of this method of driving the spherical member 1 is that it rotates about an imaginary horizontal axis and this axis may be rotated about an 3 imaginary vertical centre line passing vertically through spherical member 1 and bearing 2.

If it is desired to divert an article in a chosen direction which is not as described above, for example in the direction of the arrow 21 in FIG. 1, both of the rollers 5 and 7 are driven at the same speed and in the same direction as indicated by arrows 22 with the result that spherical member 1 revolves in the direction of the arrow 21 about its horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the arrow 21.

If the rollers 5 and 7 are driven at differing speeds. the direction of the arrow 21 will alter and in this way an article may be diverted in any chosen direction.

Each bracket I4 on its shaft is connected to the tensioning means 19 or 20 by means of an arm 23 one end of which is fixed to the shaft and the other end of which is coupled by a link to the tensioning means, the length of the link being adjustable by means of threaded portions and lock nuts as shown in the drawings.

In a modified embodiment of the invention each of the rollers may be driven by separate motors through the chains or belts. It is also possible to provide a single driving motor connected to the driven rollers for example by gears, the drive to each roller being controlled by selectively operable clutches or like devices.

The side rollers may preferably be driven continuously and the opposing rollers in each pair are pulled together by for example solenoids which are energised or released as necessary for the required direction of travel, drive being imparted to the spherical member 1 by the roller controlled by a particular solenoid. Energising a single solenoid will produce movement towards or away from the associated driven roller while release of this solenoid will allow the roller run without imparting any rotary movement to the spherical member 1. Similarly, energising a solenoid for each driving roller will produce movement in an intermediate direction as has been described. Where the tensioning means include springs, the rollers will be driven or not by the drive means as required.

In a further modification of the invention, the lateral rollers could be employed purely for location of the spherical member 1, the rotation of this body being obtained through its lower bearing arrangement. A rotary body may be arranged below the spherical member 1 and operated to rotate in one direction and be rotated bodily about a vertical axis to determine the direction in which the spherical member I will rotate.

The spherical member 1 is for example between 9 and 12 inches in diameter. This ensures a relatively large contact area which will be effective to engage the load L and slide it on to and off the top surface of the plate 3 while minimising the risk of damage and abrasion to the load which may for example be a bundle of newspapers,

In the case of a spherical member 1 of the size mentioned above, typically the driving rollers 5 and 7 may be between 1 inch and 2 inches in diameter and may be driven by any convenient method. The pressure may be applied to one pair of rollers only at any one time.

The roller axes should be disposed above the equator of the spherical member 1 as shown to counteract any upward thrust component which would press the spherical member 1 against the aperture 4 in the surface plate 3 the vertical distance being adapted to particular requirements.

The spherical member 1 may be made of a synthetic plastics material or of a hard resilient material. It may also be of metal if desired and the material for the driv ing rollers is selected to ensure adequate driving friction with the sphere.

Instead of supporting the spherical member 1 on a ball or like spherical bearing 2 as shown in FIG. 2, the sphere 1 may be supported on a ball race or a recirculating ball system. The lower bearing arrangement may alternatively consist of a plurality of castor-like wheels or spheres which enable the spherical member to be supported for free rotation in any direction.

In an alternative embodiment the spherical member may be supported on a fluidised bearing or cushion of air although in such an embodiment it may be necessary to dispose the lateral rollers sufficiently above the equator of the spherical member to counteract any upward thrust causing the spherical member to press against the surface plate.

By providing independently controllable drives to each driven roller, it is possible to cause the horizontal axis about which the spherical member revolves, to ro tate about a vertical axis so that the direction in which the spherical member will revolve can be oriented in any chosen direction to divert an article passing over it. This movement is achieved by driving the two adjacent rollers 5 and 7 in appropriate directions of rotation and by appropriate variation of their relative speeds. The free mounting of the spherical member I requires the contact paths of the rollers 5 to 8 to be arranged to keep the spherical member 1 centrally located between the driving rollers and with respect to the aperture in the top plate 3. Such an arrangement will enable selective distribution of articles to chosen areas or points such as other conveyors, quarter-conical chutes or the like depending on particular needs.

The rollers drive be driven by individual motors or by a common dirve system which is applied to or disengaged from the appropriate rollers depending on the selected direction of diversion as already stated. Other driving arrangements may alternatively be employed such as additional driving members which can be engaged or disengaged by suitable linkages or actuators.

A particular advantage of this invention is that the roller mounting need not be arranged to rotate towards the direction of diversion, thus simplifying the construction of the installation. In the diverting arrangement, either one spherical member may be provided, or a greater number may be employed depending on the nature of the articles being handled by the installation, and in certain instances the horizontal plate may be unnecessary.

I claim:

I. Conveyor apparatus for selectively diverting articles along a selected one of a plurality of available paths comprising,

conveyor means having a first surface along which the articles are transported and also a second opposite surface,

a spherical member disposed in major part opposite said first surface but having a minor portion thereof which protrudes through an aperture defined in said conveyor means so as to frictionally contact the articles propelled along said conveyor means,

support means for said spherical member permitting its free rotation,

and drive means for said spherical member for rotating said spherical member selectively about at least two different axes,

whereby said spherical member selectively diverts the articles along respectively different paths as said articles come into frictional contact with said spherical member dependent upon the axis of rotation of said spherical member as selected by said drive means.

2. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is horizontal and said spherical member is disposed in major portion underneath said first surface.

3. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises at least two pairs of rollers disposed on opposite sides of said spherical member and further includes means for rotating at least one of said oppositely disposed rollers in either pair of rollers.

4. The conveyor apparatus of claim 3 which includes means for spring biasing at least one of said oppositely disposed rollers against said spherical member.

5. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means frictionally engages said spherical member, said drive means being so positioned relative to said spherical member as to cause any translational forces acting on said spherical member to urge said spherical member away from said first surface to thereby prevent frictional contact between said member and the portion of said conveyor means which defines said aperture.

6. An article diverting arrangement comprising, a horizontal article-supporting member, a spherical member projecting partially above said articlesupporting member, means for supporting said spherical member for rotation about a selected horizontal axis, rotation means for rotating said spherical member about said selected horizontal axis, said rotation means comprising a first roller having a horizontal axis of rotation and means for urging said roller against said spherical member, and a second roller having a horizontal axis of rotation and being provided at right angles to said first roller, and drive means being selectively applicable to at least one of said first and second rollers, said spherical member being supported by a mounting means which enables said spherical member to rotate about its said selected horizontal axis and also about a vertical axis, the axis of rotation of each roller being vertically higher than the horizontal axis of rotation of said spherical member, whereby said spherical member selectively diverts the articles along respectively different paths as said articles come into frictional contact with said spherical member dependent upon the axis of rotation of said spherical member as selected by said drive means.

7. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 6 wherein said first and second rollers are selectively rotatable at different speeds from each other to cause said spherical member to rotate about its horizontal axis in said predetermined direction with reference to the vertical axis in dependence on the relative rotational speeds of said rollers.

8. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the drive means to said first and second rollers is selectively actuated to cause said spherical member to rotate about said selected horizontal axis.

9. An article diverting arrangement comprising, a horizontal article-supporting surface, a spherical member projecting partially above said article-supporting member, means for supporting said spherical member for rotation about a predetermined horizontal axis, two sets of opposed rotatable members each comprising a roller having a horizontal axis of rotation and means for pressing said rollers in frictional engagement with said spherical member, drive means for rotating a roller of at least one of said sets of opposed rollers to drive said spherical member for rotation about said selected horizontal axis, the axes of the rollers of each set being arranged on diametrically opposite sides of said spherical member and at right angles to the axis of the rollers in the other set, the spherical member being supported in a mounting means which enables said spherical member to rotate about said horizontal axis and about a vertical axis and with the axis of rotation of the rollers being vertically higher than the horizontal axis about which said spherical member rotates, whereby said spherical member selectively directs articles along respectively difierent paths as said articles come into frictional engagement with said spherical member dependent on the axis of rotation of said spherical member as selected by said drive means.

10. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 9 wherein said drive means rotates a roller of one said set of rollers at a different speed from that of a roller in the other set of rollers to cause the spherical member to rotate about its horizontal axis in a predetermined direction with reference to the vertical axis.

11. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 9 wherein said drive means operates continuously and the drive to said spherical member is selectively interrupted by means for controlling the frictional engagement of the rotatable member against said spherical member. 

1. Conveyor apparatus for selectively diverting articles along a selected one of a plurality of available paths comprising, conveyor means having a first surface along which the articles are transported and also a second opposite surface, a spherical member disposed in major part opposite said first surface but having a minor portion thereof which protrudes through an aperture defined in said conveyor means so as to frictionally contact the articles propelled along said conveyor means, support means for said spherical member permitting its free rotation, and drive means for said spherical member for rotating said spherical member selectively about at least two different axes, whereby said spherical member selectively diverts the articles along respectively different paths as said articles come into frictional contact with said spherical member dependent upon the axis of rotation of said spherical member as selected by said drive means.
 2. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is horizontal and said spherical member is disposed in major portion underneath said first surface.
 3. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises at least two pairs of rollers disposed on opposite sides of said spherical member and further includes means for rotating at least one of said oppositely disposed rollers in either pair of rollers.
 4. The conveyor apparatus of claim 3 which includes means for spring biasing at least one of said oppositely disposed rollers against said spherical member.
 5. The conveyor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means frictionally engages said spherical member, said drive means being so positioned relative to said spherical member as to cause any translational forces acting on said spherical member to urge said spherical member awaY from said first surface to thereby prevent frictional contact between said member and the portion of said conveyor means which defines said aperture.
 6. An article diverting arrangement comprising, a horizontal article-supporting member, a spherical member projecting partially above said article-supporting member, means for supporting said spherical member for rotation about a selected horizontal axis, rotation means for rotating said spherical member about said selected horizontal axis, said rotation means comprising a first roller having a horizontal axis of rotation and means for urging said roller against said spherical member, and a second roller having a horizontal axis of rotation and being provided at right angles to said first roller, and drive means being selectively applicable to at least one of said first and second rollers, said spherical member being supported by a mounting means which enables said spherical member to rotate about its said selected horizontal axis and also about a vertical axis, the axis of rotation of each roller being vertically higher than the horizontal axis of rotation of said spherical member, whereby said spherical member selectively diverts the articles along respectively different paths as said articles come into frictional contact with said spherical member dependent upon the axis of rotation of said spherical member as selected by said drive means.
 7. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 6 wherein said first and second rollers are selectively rotatable at different speeds from each other to cause said spherical member to rotate about its horizontal axis in said predetermined direction with reference to the vertical axis in dependence on the relative rotational speeds of said rollers.
 8. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the drive means to said first and second rollers is selectively actuated to cause said spherical member to rotate about said selected horizontal axis.
 9. An article diverting arrangement comprising, a horizontal article-supporting surface, a spherical member projecting partially above said article-supporting member, means for supporting said spherical member for rotation about a predetermined horizontal axis, two sets of opposed rotatable members each comprising a roller having a horizontal axis of rotation and means for pressing said rollers in frictional engagement with said spherical member, drive means for rotating a roller of at least one of said sets of opposed rollers to drive said spherical member for rotation about said selected horizontal axis, the axes of the rollers of each set being arranged on diametrically opposite sides of said spherical member and at right angles to the axis of the rollers in the other set, the spherical member being supported in a mounting means which enables said spherical member to rotate about said horizontal axis and about a vertical axis and with the axis of rotation of the rollers being vertically higher than the horizontal axis about which said spherical member rotates, whereby said spherical member selectively directs articles along respectively different paths as said articles come into frictional engagement with said spherical member dependent on the axis of rotation of said spherical member as selected by said drive means.
 10. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 9 wherein said drive means rotates a roller of one said set of rollers at a different speed from that of a roller in the other set of rollers to cause the spherical member to rotate about its horizontal axis in a predetermined direction with reference to the vertical axis.
 11. An article-diverting arrangement according to claim 9 wherein said drive means operates continuously and the drive to said spherical member is selectively interrupted by means for controlling the frictional engagement of the rotatable member against said spherical member. 